Stop device for sorting drums



April 2, 1940.v FULLER l 2,195,858

STO? DEVICE FOR SORTING DRUMS Filed Sept. 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR v ATTORNEY Pl 2 19,40- F. L. FULLER 2,195,858

STO? DEVICE" FOR SORTING DRUMS Filed Sept. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f INVENTOR April 2, 1940.

F. L. FULLER STOP DEVICE FOR SORTING DRUMS Filed Sept. 16. 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Pow

- INVENTOR April 2, 1940.

FIG. 7.

FIG. 6.

F. L. FULLER STOP DEVICE FOR SORTING DRUMS Filed Sept. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY April 2 1940- v l F. l.. FULLER 2,195,858

'v I' s'roP DEVICE FOR soRTING DRUMS v Filed Septl16;"195'/ 5 sheets-.sheet v5 FIG, fr;

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 2, 1940` PATENT OFFICE STOP DEVICE FDR SORTING DRUMS Frederick L. Fuller, West Orange, N. J., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 16, 1937, Serial No. 164,157

21 Claims.

This case relates to sorting machines of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,962,731.

In this vtype of sorter, a rotary drum having circumferentially disposed pockets is set rotating to bring a selected pocket to a common insert station. When the selected pocket reaches the insert station, the drum is arrested. 'I'he stopping of the drum should be done in a minimum of time, with a minimum of shock and chatter, and after being stopped the drum should be locked in position.

An object of the present invention is to arrest the drum speedily by novel means with a minimum of shock.

Another object is to utilize the arresting means to lock the drum, after being arrested, against movement.

Still another object is to place the driving means for the drum under control of the arresting means.

An object is, also, to provide a control between the release bar of the selecting keys and the arresting means.

Another object is to provide drum arresting means for harmonically or gradually absorbing the energy of movement of the drum to bring it gradually to rest.

Further, the objectv is to provide drum arresting means harmonically decelerating momentum of the drum when the latter is rotated in either direction.

A specific object is to provide fluid damping or braking means in the arresting means.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side section through the casing showing the interior,

Fig. 2 is a detail of circuit controllers in the arresting means,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the arresting means,

Fig. 4 shows part of the arresting means,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is an end view of the arresting means,

Fig. 7 is a section through the oil check'or dash pot of the drum arresting means, and

Fig. 8 is the circuit diagram. A

Referring to Fig'. 1, `drum I0 has circumferentially disposed'pockets (not shown) to receive checks or the like of different classification, and is provided around its rim with blocks II spaced correspondingly to the pockets, each block corresponding to a di'erent pocket. The drum is 'fast to shaft I2 carrying sprocket I3 driven, through chain I4, from sprocket I5, which may be rotated in oppositevdirections, either by means of a suitable two-way clutch or `by reversing a driving motor (notshown). Preferably, in the present lo case sprocket I5 (and drum I0) is driven from motor-operated shaft I6 through a suitable two- Way friction clutch, diagrammatically indicated in the circuit diagram, Fig. 8, to be later explained.

The drum arresting means comprises bell crank lever I1 and inverted T shaped lever I8, both pivoted to the frame, and provided with horizontal arms directed towards each other, one arm being slotted to receive the rounded end I9 of 20 the other arm, whereby the levers are constrained \to rock oppositely. A coil spring 20 between the vertical arms of the levers commonly resists clockwise action of lever I8 and counterclockwise action of lever I1. Lever I8 has a horizontal arm 25 I8', the free end of which ts between upper and lower -rollers 22 mounted in the forked stem of a piston 24 of an oil check (see Figs. 1, 3, and '1). The oil check is capable of resisting movement of the piston in either direction, and, 3

through such resistance, to likewise resist rocking movements of levers I 1 and I8 in any direction.

The oil check comprises`an outer cylinder .25

Asurrounding an inner cylinder 26, the space bepositioned a valve block 3I rigidly and centrally u provided with a tube 32 and formed in a circleA around the tube with openings 33. 'I'he latter are normally closed by a flat valve plate 34 which slidably surrounds tube 32 and may move upwardly till stopped by a snap-ring 35 carried by 50 the tube. The annular chamber 2l communicates with the lower interior chamber 36 of the dash-pot through ports 31, 38 of valve block 3| and through tube 32, and when plate 34 is lifted, also through these ports and openings 33.

Piston 24 has an upper hollow portion 24a joining a skirt 24h of larger diameter, both having sliding iit with embracing walls of the inner cylinder 26. Rigidly set into the piston is a hollow plug 39 separating lower chamber 36 from upper chamber 40 in the interior of upper portion 24a. The lower portion of plug 35 is tapered to provide predetermined variation in closure of tube 32 when the plug moves into the tube. The wall of piston portion 24a is formed with a horizontal aperture 4I which is normally closed by the wall of inner cylinder 26 but which, whenk the piston descends, reaches the intermediate, increasing space 42 above the top of skirt 24h, to provide communication between the latter space and upper chamber 40. Lower chamber 36 is constantly in communication with intermediate space 42 through a vertical aperture 43 in the top of skirt 24h. The inner cylinder has a port hole 44 normally closed by skirt 24h.

Initially, the piston is at its upper limit of travel and the oil is at the level indicated by the broken line in Fig. 7, with some oil trapped also in chamber 40 of the piston. At the beginning of the down stroke, the tube 32 is completely open to permit free flow of the oil from.

lower chamber 36 through the tube, and ports 31 and 38 into annular chamber 21. Thus, during the early portion of the down stroke, the oil resistance is a minimum and the piston travels at maximum speed. As the piston descends, the tapered lower portion of plug 39 moves into tube 32 restricting the opening therethrough, thereby increasing resistance of the uid in lower chamber 36 to descent of the piston. The taper of the lower portion of plug 39 is designed to progressively restrict the opening through tube 32 as the piston progressively descends, until the resistance of the oil in chamber 36 is sufiicient to check further descent of the piston.

During descent of the piston, valve plate 34 is held rmly down to ,close openings 33, by the pressure of the fluid in lower chamber 36, but some part of the resistance of the oil in lower chamber 36 is relieved by escape of oil through aperture 43 of skirt 24h into intermediate space 42, and this is taken into account in designing the taper of the lower portion of plug 39.

After a short distance of downward travel of the piston, upper chamber 40 is brought into communication through aperture 4I with the gradually increasing intermediate space 42, thereby supplying the latter with oil, in addition to the oil supplied therethrough from chamber 36 through hole 43. Further downward movement of the piston exposes port 44, thereby providing communication between annular chamber 21 and space 42, so that the oil which has been forced into chamber 21 through tube 32 and the ports of valve block 3|, now flows into space 42 to fully charge the latter with oil. When drum Ill is rotated to a selected position to locate a desired pocket at the insert station, due to the weight of the drum and connected parts, the drum has considerable momentum causing it to overtravel the selected position. During this overtravel of the drum, a block II thereof strikes means connected to lever I1 or I3, as will be further explained later. When this happens, lever I8 is moved clockwise to effect the down stroke of the piston. At the moment of impact, drum I is traveling at its maximum speed and with the maximum momentum, and abrupt resistance to this movement of the drum is not desirable, as it would produce a maximum of shock. 'I'his undesirable result is avoided by providing a minimum of initial resistance to descent of the piston, as explained above. As the piston descends, the resistance of the oil in chamber 36 to movement of the piston 24, and, thereby, to rotation of drum I0, increases, causing drum I0 to progressively lose energy of motion, until at the end of the down stroke of the piston, resistance of the oil check is a maximum and the drum has lost all its energy of overtravel movement. In this manner, due to construction and design of the oil check, a harmonic deceleration of the drum speed and momentum and a gradual stoppage of drum I0 during its overtravel is obtained.

When overtravel of the drum has been arrested, the drum is caused to return toward the desired home position by action of the spring 20 between levers I1 and I8. Return of the drum is checked by the rising stroke of piston 24. Starting from zero, with ample port area in the oil check to insure minimum resistance, the return speed accelerates until at a predetermined position, the by-pass ports in the oil check are gradually closed to the minimum provided, and the drum is snubbed and locked without shock in its home position. Thus, at the beginning of the up-stroke of the piston, intermediate space 42 has attained maximum size, is completely lled with oil, and is communicating with annular chamber 21 through port 44 and with upper chamber 40 through port 4I. As the piston rise begins, the top of piston skirt 24b pushes the fluid in space 42 through ports 44 and 4I, respectively into chambers 21 and 40. Since these ports are initially wide open, the resistance of the uid to the early portion of the upward movement of the piston is a minimum. Accordingly, the rebound of drum I0 is initially resisted by the oil-check with a minimum of force. As the piston rises further, the side of skirt 24h starts to close port 44, thereby causing the resistance of the uid in space 42 to increase. When port 44 has been fully closed by skirt 24h, the fluid in space 42 can escape only through narrow aperture 43 into lower chamber 36 and through narrow aperture 4I into upper chamber 40. Thus resistance of the iluid in space 42 to rise of the piston progressively increases as port 44 is progressively closed and continues to increase as space 42 becomes smaller. Near the end of the up-stroke, aperture 4I is closed by the abutting wall of inner cylinder 26, trapping oil in chamber 40, and leaving only aperture 43 in piston skirt 24b as an escape for the oil from space 42 to lower chamber 36. Resistance of the oil in space 42 continues to increase as the piston rises until the resistance stops the piston at the end of the up-stroke. I

During the up-stroke of the piston, the oil is forced through hole 44 into chamber 21. The pressure of the oil in chamber 21 is then greater than the pressure of the oil in the growing chamber 36, thereby effecting lifting of valve plate 34 to open holes 33. 'Ihe excess fluid in chamber 21 now flows through holes 33 and also through tube 32 back into lower chamber 36.

In above manner, the oil check initially resists rebound of drum I0 with a minimum force and progressively increases resistance as the drum reaches the selected position until the drum is completely stopped. The action of the oil-check during rebound of the drum is thus similar to latches upwardly to engage the ends of bars 58 and 59 fixed to a slide 60. The slide has a horizontal slot. BIl-Z at the left end slidably receiving stud 52 and a similar slot Gli-r at the right end slidably receiving stud 53. The slide is thus mounted for slidable movement on the studs 52 and 53 of levers I1 and I8. In the home position, shown in Fig. 4, spring 20 is holding studs 52 and 53 in abutment, respectively, with the closed, inner ends of slots 60-1 and SII-1', and latches 54 and 55 are engaging the front ends of bars 58 and 59. With the parts thus cooperating, neither the slide nor levers I1 and I8 can move. Thus, if force were applied to slide 6D tending to move it to the right, the slide would tend, through engagement of bar 58 with latch 54, to rock lever I1 clockwise and through engagement of the closed end of slot 60-1 with stud 53v to rock lever I8 also clockwise. But the levers I1 and I8 are connected to each other to constrain them to rock only in opposite directions; hence, neither slide 60 nor levers I1 and I8 can move to the right when the slide is latched by both latches54 and 55. Similarly, movement of the slide to the left is impossible with both latches in operative position. Assume, further, that a force were applied to lever I8 tending to rock 4D. it clockwise, then through engagement of latch 55 with bar 59, the lever would tend to move slide 89 to the right. As lever I8 tries to rock clockwise, it tends to cause lever I1 tol rock counterclockwise which through engagement of latch 54 with bar 58, tends to move theslide to the left. Thus, with both latches operative, lever I8 cannot rock clockwise and lever I1 cannot rock counterclockwise. Also, because of engagement of studs 52 'and 53 with the closed lends of slots 50-1 and BIJ-1' of slide 60, the latter prevents rocking of the lever S towards each other. Hence, withl both latches 54 and 55 in operative latching position, the drum arresting assembly, including the slide and levers, is locked against movement in any direction.

Rockablymounted on flanged studs 6I and 62 carried by slide 6I! are opposing drum stops or` stop arms 63 and 64. The stops lie in the same plane as drum blocks II and are shaped at their free, facing front ends. to snugly receive and clamp a drum block between them. To positively prevent movement of the stops out of their plane, the rear, pivoted, end of each of thestops is located between the side of the slide and the flange of the pivot stud 6I or 62 and the front end ofA the stop is located between the slide and the flange of abutton 65 fixedY to the slide (see Fig. 5). The stops are connected to each other by a spring 66 urging them upwardly into the path of rotationof the drum blocks. Projecting from 'the rear face of each of the stops is a hori-` zontal pin 61 engageable with the periphery of drum I to limit upward movement of the stopv when effected by spring 86. The stops- 63 andv 84 also carry horizontally projecting studs Il and 69 located above extensions 54 and 55 of latches 54 and 55. v

Assuming drum I0 is at rest with a block II held in what may be referred to as the centralposition, betweenv stops 63 and 64, as indicatedv in Figs. 1 and 3, the pocket corresponding to this block Il is at-the insert station. To sele'ct another pocket to receive records atthe insert station, the stops 63 and 64 must be depressed to release the block II now held between them. The simultaneous depression of stops 63 and 64 is effected upon momentary energization Aof aA solenoid 10 by a circuit which will be traced later. Solenoid 10 cooperates with a plunger 1I urged upwardly by a spring v12. The upper `end of the plunger passes through a slot 13 in a and extended horizontally to provide extensions.

14 overlying pins 68 and69. When solenoid 18 is energized, it depresses plunger 1I against resistance of spring 12, and the upper hook end of the plunger acts to rock plate 14 downwardly,

causing extensions 14' by engagement with pinsv 68 and 69 to lower stops l63 and 64 against resistance of spring 66, out of the Way of the block I I which had been seated between the stops. As pins 68 and 69 are depressed, they engagey and release latches 54 and 55 from bars 58 -and 59 of slide 80, but spring 20 and the oil-check connected to lever I8 prevent idle movement of the slide and lever system, so that both latches remain invpositionsjto reengage the bars 58 and 59 upon subsequent rise of stops 63 and 64 and their pins-68 and 69.

When plate'14 is rocked downwardly to lower stops 63 and 64, it is latched down by the hook portion 18 of armature 18 of a magnet 19. The armature is in ythe form of a bail, the opposite sidearms of which are pivoted at 8U. Rigidly xed'to armature bail 18 is a rearwardly extending arm 18a, provided at its free end. with a roller 18h of insulatingf material, overlying a lower spring blade 8| carrying one of thepoints of a switch 82, the other of which is on a spring blade 83. A spring 84 connected to arm 18a urges armature 18 counterclockwise (Fig. 6) to its retracted position, raising pin 18b, and permitting switch 82 to close. Thus, switchy 82, which is in the clutch circuit, which will be traced laten, is normally closed. In the retracted position of the armature, the hook end 18 thereof is in positionto latch down plate 14 upon depression of the latter.

Energization of solenoid 18 to cause release of the drum from stops 63 and 64 is effected when a drum pocket selection is made by operation of a corresponding pocket selecting key 85 (Figs. 1 and 8), in a manner which will be explained later. At the same time, a clutch circuit is rendered operative to cause the motor to drive sprocket I (Fig. 1) for rotating the drum. The rotation of the drum may be in either of opposite directions, the direction being automatically chosen to bring the selected pocket to the insert station through the shortest distance.

Just before the selected pocket reaches the insert station, and as the correspondingl drum block II is approaching stops 63 and 64. magnet 'I9 is energized by a circuit which will be traced later.V Magnet 19, thereupon, rocks armature 18l hook 18 to release plate 14 and pin 18h to forcibly open clutch contacts 82, thereby interrupting positive drive of the drum. As plate 14 is unlatched, it permits spring 66 to raise stops 63 and 64 into the path of drum blocks II, and at the same time springs 56 and 51 raise latches 54 and 55 to relatch bars 58 and 59, thereby again locking slide 60 and levers I1 and I8 against movement.

Assuming drum I0 to be rotating clockwise, the stops 63 and 64 have been raised just before the block II corresponding to the selected pocket reaches the stop 64. The positive drive of the drum also has been stopped, but due to momentum, the drum continues to move clockwise. As the block I I corresponding to the selected pocket moves clockwise, it engages the upwardly inclined cam edge of stop 64 and cammingly coacts with the latter to depress stop 64 against resistance of spring 66. As stop 64 is depressed, its pin 69 acts on extension 55 of latch 55 to lower the latter and release it from bar 59. Slide 69 is now free to move to the left.

The action of block II in lowering stop 64 and causing unlatching of slide 69 by latch 55 is completed before the block rides oif the upper edge of stop 64. Thus, after release of the slide, as the block still rides on stop 64, through the frictional drag thereon, it causes slide 60 to move slightly to the left. Due to this fact and to an excess of downward movement of latch 55 beyond the amount required to merely release bar 59, the block II rides off the free end of stop 64 and,

due to its overtravel, impacts the front of stop 63 before latch 55 can move up to reengage bar 59 and stop leftward movement of slide 60. The impact of block I I with the front of stop 63 forces the latter to the left, a movement which is transmitted to slide 60 carrying the stop. When block II passed the free end of stop 64, spring 66 snapped the latter stop upwardly, placing its front end behind block II. The block is now pinched between the facing ends of stops 63 and 64 While slide 60 is moving to the left under the impetus of engagement of the block with the front end of stop 63.

As slide 60 moves to the left, through the closed end of slot 60-1 engaged with stud 52 of lever I1, the movement of the slide effects counterclockwise movement of lever I1. This, in turn, causes clockwise movement of lever I8, the stud 53 of which moves freely along slot 60-1 towards the open end of the slot. 'I'he above rocking action of levers I1 and I8 stretches spring 2U, which, thereby, resists the rocking of the levers, the movement of slide 60 to the left, and the clockwise movement of drum I 0.

As explained hereinbefore, when lever I8 rocks clockwise, it eiects the down-stroke of piston 24 of the oil-check. 'Ihe resistance of the oil-check initially is a minimum and increases as the movements of the slide 60, drum I0, and lever I8 continue until at the end'of the down-stroke of the piston, the resistance of the oil-check is a maximum and has stopped the aforesaid movements. Thus. the drum is arrested with harmonically accelerated force, as previously explained. The spring 20 now acts to reverse the movements of the levers, the slide, and the drum, this being the rebound action of the parts. During the rebound action, lever I8 is rocking counterclock- Wise, to effect the return, up-stroke of piston 24. Block II which is now confined between the facing front ends oi.' stops 63 and 64 is forced to the right to return towards the central position,

while the oil-check is resisting this return movement of the drum and arresting slide and lever with a gradually increasing force. The return of the drum is arrested by the oil-check with a harmonically increasing force, ac previously explained, until the block II corresponding to the selected pocket has reached central position, whereupon the drum stops. When slide 60 reaches its normal position, latch 55 which has been riding along the bottom of bar 59 immediately snaps upwardly into latching engagement with the latter bar. The drum and arresting means are, thereupon, positively locked against movement, as at the beginning of operations, with the block II corresponding to the selected pocket at central position and the selected pocket at the insert station.

Assume now that drum I0, after release by stops 63 and 64, is rotated counterclockwise. As before, magnet 19 will be energized to cause hook 19' to release plate 14, permitting the stops to rise as the block I I corresponding to the selected pocket approaches central position. Further movement of the block depresses stop 63. This causes latch 54 to release bar 58, permitting movement of slide 60 to the right, and the impact of block I I with the front of stop 64 forcibly moves the slide to the right. This is transmitted, by engagement of the closed end of slot GII- r with stud 53, to lever I8 to rock the latter clockwise, which in turn, causes counterblockwise action of lever I1. The movements of the levers are thus the same as previously described when the drum rotated clockwise. The action of the oil-check in arresting the levers, slide, and drum is, accordingly, also the same as previously described.

In above manner, the drum when rotated in either direction has an overtravel beyond the central position and a return movement, both snubbed by the oil-check, and after such single overtravel and rebound reciprocation of the drum, it is stopped and locked in selected position, with the selected pocket at the insert station. Thus, repeated overtravel and rebound movements of the drum, and chatter of the drum, as would occur in the absence of the oil-check, are prevented, and the drum is brought to rest after a minimum of one overtravel movement and one rebound movement with a minimum of shock.

Thus far, the clutch contacts 82 controlled by the arresting means have been described. In addition, the arresting means controls other contacts, as will now be described.

A lever pivoted on stud 9| to a fixed support 92 is urged clockwise (Figs. 2 and 3) by a spring 93 to maintain its left end close to the bottom of plate 14. The opposite end of the lever pivotally carries a pawl 94 provided at its upper end with a stud 94a and formed along its lower arm with a lug 94h. Between lever 90 and pawl 94 is y a spring 95 urging the pawl counterclockwise to engage its lug 94b with the side 96' of an angle piece or bracket 9B secured to lever I8. In the normal position of the arresting means. the side 96' of angle piece 96 is between lug 94h of pawl 94 and a shoulder 90a of lever 90. The normal clockwise position of lever 90 is determined by engagement of the top of side 96' with the portion` of the bottom edge of lever 90 located between shoulder 90a and the confronting edge of pawl 94.

In the normal position of pawl 94, stud 94a thereof is engaging the top of an upper spring blade 91 carrying one of the points of a switch 98, the other point of which is on a lower Vspring blade 99. The blades are sprung, so as to tend to open switch 98, which is prevented by engagement of blade 91 with pin 94a when the arresting means is in normal position. Switch 98 is in the circuit of a cycle initiating magnet I 3| (Fig. 8), also controlled by release bar 261 (Fig. 1) which has the same function as the bar 261 of Patents 1,946,906 and 1,962,731; namely to initiate a cycle during which items set up on a keyboard are added, printed, and so on, and' during which the check is fed to the selected drum pocket after such. pocket has been stopped at the insert station. Normally, pin 94a is also engaging a spring blade to force it towards a blade IIJI, to maintainthe points of a switch |02, carried by these blades, closed. Switch |02, in the circuit of solenoid 10, is, thus, normally closed. Pin 94a is also against the side of a spring blade |03 which in cooperation with `a blade I 04 carries the points of a switch |05 which is in the clutch controlling circuit, in series with previously mentioned clutch contacts 82. In the normal position of pin 94a, switch |05 is open.

As previously noted, when a key 85 is operated to select a drum pocket, solenoid is energized to pull plate 14 down, causing release of stops 63 and 64 from a drum block II. When plate 14 is depressed, it rocks lever 90 counterclockwise, which in turn, lifts pawl 94 until the bottom of its lug 94h is above the top of side 96' of angle piece 96. Spring 95 thereupon rocks pawl 94 counterclockwise until lug 94h rests on top of side portion 96' of angle piece 96. At the same time, shoulder 90a has been raised clear above the top of element 96 so as not to interfere with clockwise movement of? lever I8 during the arresting operation. As `soon as pawl 94 rose, its pin 94a permitted switch 98 to open, thereby preventing making of the cycle initiating release bar circuit, which will be tracedlater. When lug 94h of the pawl moved above the top of element 96,'the pawl swung counterclockwise, causing pin 94a to move to the left, permitting switch |02 to open, thereby opening the circuit of solenoid 10. The pin 94a has also moved blade |03 towards blade |04, closing switch |05 to complete the clutch circuit. Actuation of drum I0 is thus delayed until pawl 94 and lever 90 have operated properly and closed switch |05, which, in turn, makes certain that plate 14 has been operated properly and latched down to cause release of stops 63 and 64 from the path of drum blocks II before rotation of the drum begins. l y

While solenoid 10 has been deenergized by opening of switch |02 in the solenoid circuit, plate 14 remains latched down by hook 18 of armature 18, thus maintaining stops 63 and 64 in lowered positions, and lever 90 and pawl 94 in operated positions.

Just before the selected pocket reaches the insert station, and the corresponding block II approaches the central position, magnet 19 is energized, rocking armature 18 clockwise (Fig. 6) thereby releasing hook 18' from plate 14 and lowering pin 18h to forcibly open clutch contact 82. Stops 63 and 64 now move upwardly into the path ofthe approaching block II and. the impact of the latter with either stop 63 or 64 causes clockwise movement of lever I8. As a result, angle 96 moves to the right from under lug 94h, permitting lever 90 and pawl 94 to dropvuntil the curved lower edge 90b of the right end of lever 90 drops onto the top of side 96' of the angle piece. In this position of the lever 90 and Its pawl 94, pin

94a is not yet closing release bar circuit contacts 98. When lever I8 moves to the left toward its home position, the lower edge 90b of lever 90 rides on the upper edge of angle 96. When the return movement is nearly completed, the side 96 of angle 96 acts on lug 94h to rock pawl clockwise.

Circuits and operation The operation of the machine insofar as it is related to -the present invention will now be explained with reference particularly to the circuit diagram, Fig. 8.

Drum I0 has twenty-four record-receiving pockets, for each of which there is a key 85, which may be referred to by the number of the corresponding pocket, as key 85-I, 2 24. The depression of a key 85 causes rotation of the drum to the corresponding pocket position in a direction depending on the previous position of the drum and the particular key which is depressed for the new pocket selection. The pocket selecting operations and rotation of the drum is controlled by the keys through a commutator which comprises an insulating disk |09 xed to shaft I2 of the drum for rotation therewith and iny which are set separated contact segments IIO and III disposed at the opposite halves of a circle. Concentrically disposed on disk |09 within segments I I0 and I I I is a contact ring I I2 formed with a short segment I I2 located between a pair of adjacent ends of segments IIO and III. An inner contact ring ||3 is conductively connected to segment IIO. Fixed to the framework of the machine and freely surrounding drum shaft I2 is a ring |I4 of insulating material carrying equally circumferentially spaced brushes II5, each connected to one side of a key switch |I6, adapted to be closed by depression of an associated pocket selecting key 85. Contact ring II2 is constantly wiped by a brush |I1 carried by xed annulus II4 and'connected toa line II8 common to magnet 19 (also see Fig. 6) and a relay R.-I arranged in parallel. Inner contact ring II3 is constantly wiped by a brush II9 carried by annulus II4 and connected to a line |20 leading to certain relay contacts, which will be described later. 1

When drum I0 is at rest in any pocket position, the brush II5 connected to the switch II6 of the key 85 corresponding to the pocket is engaged with the central point of segment II2 of contact ring |l-2.

Assume key 85-I has been previously depressed to close its switch II6 and that drum I0 is in the pocket l position. In this position of the drum, the relation of brushes II5 to the contact segments and rings is shown in Fig. 8,

, II8, brush |I1, contact ring II2, segment ||2,

switch II6 of key 85-I, line |2I, line |22, safety switches |23, to the left side of'the line.

Thus, .with a key depressed and the druml at rest in the position corresponding to the key, magnet 19 and relay R-I are energized. With relay R'| energized, relay contacts R-Ia are open and a circuit (to be traced later) through solenoid 10 cannot be established. Accordingly, stops 63 and 84 are in upper, operative position, locking the drum against movement. Also, with magnet 19 energized, clutch contacts 82 are open (see Figs. 2 and'G) to prevent making of any clutch control circuit.

Assume now that key -I2 is depressed to select the #12 drum pocket. Depression of any key 85 causes release of any previously depressed key through means such as shown in Patent 1,962,731, previously referred to, and common to keyboards of adding machines or the like. Accordingly, key 85| will be restored and its switch ||6 will open to break above circuit A,

`deenergizing magnet 19 and relay R-I. Because of deenergization of relay R-I, contacts R-Ia close, establishing the following circuit:

Solenoid circuit-From the right side of the line, through normally closed contacts RB-I (opened only upon operation of release'bar 261), solenoid contacts |02 (controlled by the position of pawl 94 of the drum arresting system), solenoid 10, contacts R-Ia, line 22, safety contacts |23, to the left side of the line.

Energization of solenoid 10 depresses its plunger 1| (Figs. 3 and 6) to rook plate 14 downwardly, which acts on pins 68 and 69 to lower stops 63 and 64 out of the path of drum blocks At the same time, as plate 14 moves down, it operates lever to raise pawl 94, until the lug 94h thereof rises above the top of side 96 of angle piece 96, whereupon the pawl is rocked counter-'clockwise (Fig. 2) to cause pin 94a to permit opening of switches 98 and |02 and to close switch |05. Opening of switch |02 breaks the solenoid circuit. It will be noted that switch |02 does not open until pawl 94 has risen to its upper position and been rocked counterclockwise to engage its lug 94h with the top of element 96' for latching the pawl in the actuated position. This insures sufficient duration of energization of solenoid 10 to effect the full down stroke of plunger to cause complete depression of stops 63 and 64 out of the way of drum blocks When circuit A was broken to cause deenergization of relay Rf-'L magnet 19 was also deenergized. As a result, armature 18 moved to re' tracted position and its hook 18' latched down plate 14, now depressed by solenoids 10. Also, in the retracted position of armature 18, clutch contacts 82 closed, and, now, with clutch contacts |05 also closed by operation of pawl 94, the following circuit is formed:

Forward clutch magnet circuit-From the left side of the line, through safety switches |23, line |22, line |24, the upper normally closed side of relay switch Rf-2a, forward clutch magnet |25, clutch contacts 82, clutch contacts |05, to the right side of the line.

It will be noted that the clutch circuit cannot form until switch |05 is closed by pawl 94, thereby insuring proper, complete operation of the latter and correspondingly proper depression of stops 63 and 64 before the clutch circuit can form to eilect drum rotation.

Energization of magnet |25 by above clutch' circuit actuates a clutch shifting lever |26 to move a driven clutch disk |21 into engagement with a driving clutch disk |28 (see Fig. 8) fast to motor-driven shaft 6 (also see Fig. 1). The latter thereupon rotates clutch disk |28 which through appropriate gearing rotates sprocket I5 to drive drum |0 in a forward direction (clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1). The leading end of short segment ||2 engages the brush ||5 connected to switch ||6 of key 85|2 when the drum has moved about half-way between its "11 pocket position and the selected ,12 pocket position, causing a circuit such as circuit A to form extending through the switch ||6 of key 85|2, and again energizing magnet 19 and relay R-I.

Magnet 19 now rocks armature 18 clockwise (Fig. 6), causing pin 18D to open clutch contacts 82, thereby breaking the forward clutch circuit, and causing positive drive of the drum to cease. Also, as armature 18 rocks clockwise, its hook portion 18' unlatches plate 14, permitting spring 66 to raise stops 63 and 64 into the path of the drum blocks and springs 56 and 51 to reengage latches 54 and 55 with bars 58 and 59 of slide 50. Lever 90, however, and its pawl 94 remain in operated position, since lug 94h is still on top of side 95' of angle piece 96 carried by lever I8. Thus, switches 98 and |02 are still open and switch |05 closed. The latter is ineffective now to close the clutch circuit because energization of lalagnet 19 has caused opening of clutch contacts As explained above, energization of magnet 19 and relay R|` took place Just before the drum reached the selected "12 pocket position. Now, with stops 63 and 64 raised, the block corresponding to 12 drum pocket begins to ride on the upwardly inclined edge of stop 64, depressing the latter, causing pin 69 to release latch 55 from bar 59. When the block rides off the top of stop 64, the latter rises, the block then being pinched between the front ends of stops 63 and 64, further movement of the block and drum then being governed solely by operation of the arresting unit. Due to momentum of the drum, the block |I overtravels the central position, and causes slide 60 to move to the left, rocking lever |1 counterclockwise and lever |`8 clockwise. During clockwise movement of lever |8, its angle bracket 96 moves away from lug 94h, permitting pawl 94 to drop until edge 90b abuts the top of the bracket portion 96. AThis movement of the pawl is not suilicient to close switch 98. Clockwise movement of lever I8 also effects the down-stroke of piston 24 of the oil-check, and the latter harmonically decelerates the overtravel of the drum. Return of the drum is then effected by spring 20 between levers I1 and I8, the return being harmonically decelerated by the oil-check until the drum stops with the selected 12 pocket at insert station and the corresponding block at the central position. The drum is now positively locked by the arresting means against movement in any direction. Pawl 94 is also in its normal, lowermost position, so that switches 98 and |02 yare closed and switch |05 open. Since relay Rf"| has been energized, relay contacts R-Ib thereof are now closed and with switch 98 also closed, manual depression of release bar 261 to close contacts RB-2, causes the following circuit (bottom of Fig. 8) to form:

Cycle initiating circuit-From the left side of the line, through safety switchesA |30, contacts RZB- 2, relay contacts R-Ib, contacts 98, magnet |3|, to the right side of the line.

Magnet |3| initiates a cycle oi' operations during which the check is fed into the selected pocket and during which other operations such as adding and printing are effected, as disclosed in Patenti 1,946,906 and 1,962,781. It will be pocket position, instead of selecting the 12 pocket, the 13 pocket is to be selected. The 13 pocket is then closest to the insert station in the reverse or counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1), of movement of drum I0. Upon depression of key 85|3, the previously depressed key 85| is restored, breaking the previous circuit A through magnet 19 and relay R|. As before, the solenoid circuit is formed to energize solenoid 10 for removing stops 63 and 64 from .the path of rotation of drum'blocks Simultaneously with breaking of the circuit through magnet 19 and relay R|', the closure of switch I I6 of key 85`|3 also establishes the following circuit:

Relay R-3 circuit-From the right side of the line, through relay R-3, line |32, normally closed relay contacts R-2b, line |20, brush I9, contact ring ||3, contact segment ||'0, the brush I|5 connected to switch ||6 of key 85|3, the latter switch (now closed), lines |2|, |22, safety contacts |23, to the left side of the line.

Energization of relay R--3 closes its relay contacts R-3a to form a holding circuit for relay coil R3z 'Holding circuit-Coil R-3.From the right side of the line, through relay Rf-3, contacts R-3a, normally closed contacts R-I'c of relay magnet R-|, safety contacts |23, to the left side of the line.

Coil Rf-3 also closes relay points R3b to form the following circuit:

Coil R-Z circuit-From the right side of the line through coil R-2, points R-3b, relay contacts R|c, safety contacts |23, to the left side of the line.

Coil R-Z opens contacts R-2b in the main circuit of coil R-3, but the latter remains energized through its holding circuit. Coil R-2 also opens the upper points of relay switch R-Za, preventing formation of the forward clutch magnet circuit, and closes the lower points of switch R-2a, forming the following circuit:

Reverse clutch magnet circuit- From the left side of the line, through contacts |23, line |22, line |24, lower relay points R2a, reverse clutch magnet |35, contacts 82, switch |05, to the right side of the line.

Magnet |35 swings lever |26 to engage the clutch disk |36 with driving clutch disk |28, causing rotation of disk |36, which through appropriate gearing rotates sprocket l5 to drive drum I0 counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig, 1). During this rotation, short commutator segment ||2' engages the brush ||'5 connected to switch ||6 of key 85|3, causing a circuit A to form through magnet 19 and relay R-L Magnet 19 releases plate 14 (Fig. 6), causing stops63 and 64 to move to upper positions. The block corresponding to pocket 13 engages stop 63, and the arresting means stops the drum with the 13 drum pocket at insert station in the manner described before.

When relay R-l was energized, it opened contacts R-I c in the holding circuit of coil Rf-3 and in the circuit of coil R-2, causing deenergization of the two coils. The circuits are then in the normal condition.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: l

1. A machine to sort records, comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, means to Aselect a sorting position for the carrier, mechanism to actuate the carrier to the selected position, and arresting means for the carrier including a pair of elements mounted for common movement in the direction of movement of the carrier and located in the path of a part of the carrier as the latter approaches selected position, means to lock the elements against such common movement and released by engagement of said part of the carrier with one of said elements to enable the carrier part to impart said common movement to the elements in the direction of carrier movement, and motion decelerating means operatively connected to said elements to snub their common movement and thereby to snub the carrier movement.

2. A machine to sort records; comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, means to select a sorting position for the carrier, mechanism to actuate the carrier to the selected position, arresting means, including means having abutting engagement with a part of the carrier to be moved therewith, to decelerate movement of the carrier until arrested at the selected position, and means to thereupon lock the arresting means and through said abutting engagement to prevent movement of the carrier until a new selection is made.

3. A machine to sort records; comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in `diierent sorting positions, means to select a position for the carrier, mechanism to actuate the carrier to a selected position,'an arresting device engageable with the 'carrier to arrest it at the selected position, and latch means coact ing with the arresting device to lock the latter, and thereby the carrier, until a new selection is made. v

4. A machine to sort records,4 comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions and having spaced elements corresponding to the different positions, mechanism to actuate the carrier to a selected sorting position, and arresting means including a pair ofstops to receive therebetween the element corresponding to the selected sorting position, and locking means acting on the stops' after receiving the latter element for-locking the stops against movement so as to lock the carrier against movement.

5. A machine to sort recordscomprising a moved thereby in the direction of carrier movement to decelerate movement of the carrier until arrested at the selected position, and means for thereupon locking said device, and thereby said carrier, against movement.

6. A machine to sort records; comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions and having spaced elements corresponding to the different positions, mechanism tov actuate the carrier to a selected sorting position, and arresting means including a pair of members for receiving between them the element corresponding to the selected position during movement of the latter element and given common movement in the same direction by the element, means connected to the members to cause deceleration of the carrier movement until the carrier is at rest at the selected position, and means for thereupon locking said members to lock the element between them, and thereby the carrier, against movement.

'7. A machine to sort records; comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism for actuating the carrier to a selected sorting position, and arresting means engageable with the carrier to gradually decelerate movement of the carrier until arrested at the selected position including a pair of elements simultaneously moved in d iverse directions by engagement of the arresting means with the carrier. and means for resisting the opposite movements of the elements, and thereby resisting movement of the carrier.

8. The sub-combination of a movably mounted carrier with mechanism for moving the latter to selected points, arresting means movable in either of opposite directions and cooperating with the carrier to decelerate movement of the carrier when it moves beyond a selected point and to effect return of the carrier to the selected point and means acting on the arresting means after effecting return of the carrier to the selected point for preventing movement of the arresting means in either direction and thereby preventing movement of the carrier.

9. A machine to sort records comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different positions, means to select a sorting position, mechanism for actuating the carrier, and arresting means engageable with the carrier and movable in opposite directions to bring the carrier to rest at the selected sorting position after a single overtravel and return reciprocation of the carrier with respect to the selected sorting position, and means for thereupon preventing the arresting means from moving in either of the opposite directions and thereby preventing movement of the carrier engaged with the arresting means.

10. -A machine to sort records comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different positions, means to select a sorting position, mechanism for actuating the carrier. arresting means for engaging the carrier to bring the carrier to rest at the selected sorting position after overtravel and return of the carrier with respect to the selected sorting position, and means coacting with the arresting means while engaged with the carrier for limiting such overtravel and return, with respect to the selected positionto a single reciprocation.

11. A machine to sort records; comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism to actuate the carrier to a selected sorting position. movable arresting means having a normal position oi' engagement with the carrier, means to cause engagement of said arresting means with the carrier during overtravel oi the carrier with respect to the selected sorting position to gradually arrest such overtravel while moving out oi' the normal position, means to return the arresting means to its normal position to thereby also return the carrier to its selected position and means to lock the arresting means upon return thereof to normal position, and thereby to lock the carrier in the selected position through its engagement with the locked arresting means.

12. A machine to sort records, comprising a movable carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism to drive the carrier to a selected sorting position, a movable device having a normal position, means for engaging the device with the carrier to cause the latter to move the device, means for resisting such movement of the device and causing return of the latter to normal position, said device while moving away from and returning to normal position gradually arresting the carrier at the selected sorting position, and means automatically rendered eiective by return of the device to normal position for acting on the device to lock it in normal position and to thereby lock the carrier in selected sorting position.

13. A machine to sort records; comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism for actuating the carrier in either of opposite directions to a selected sorting position, movable arresting means for arresting the carrier during actuation thereof in either direction interlocked with the carrier during overtravel in either direction of actuation of the carrier and return of the carrier with respect to the selected sorting position, means for governing movement oi the arresting means after being interlocked with the carrier to thereby also govern movement of the Acarrier while causing return of the carrier to the selected sorting position, and'means for locking the arresting means against movement in either direction upon return of the carrier to selected position and thereby locking the carrier interlocked therewith.

14. A machine to sort records, comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism to actuate the carrier to a selected position, an arresting unit for the carrier including means to normally lock the unit against movement, means on the carrier for unlocking the arresting unit and engaging the unit to move the latter during overtravel of the carrier with respect to the selected position, and means for resisting such movement of the unit to arrest the carrier graduallyand thenreturn the latter to the selected position.

V 15. A machine to sort records, comprising a movably mounted carrierA to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism to actuate the carrier in either of opposite directions to a selected sorting position, and arresting means including a device engageable with the carrier while the latter is moving in either direction and moved by such engagement in the direction of movement of the carrier, retarding means, and operative connections between Vthe retarding means and the device for effecting retarding movement of the retarding means in the same direction regardless of the direction of movement to the device and carrier to decelerate movement of the carrier in either direction. l

16. A machine to sort records, comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records While in different sorting positions, latching means to hold the carrier at a sorting position, means to select a new sorting position for the carrier, an instrumentality operated in response to selection of a. new sorting position for releasing said latching means from the carrier, mechanism to thereupon actuate the carrier to the newly selected sorting position, means responsive to release of the latching means for rendering said instrumentality ineiective, a device for then retaining the latching means, independently of said instrumentality, released from the carrier, and means operable upon approach of the carrier to the newly selected position for disabling said device to enable the latching means to return to latching engagement with the carrier.

17. A machine to sort records, comprising a drum rotatable to different selected sorting positions, a pair of stops for receiving a part of the drum between them as the drum reaches a selected position, a common mounting member for the stops, latch `means to latch the member against movement and released by said drum part as the drum approaches selected position to enable the member and the stops to be moved together from an initial'position by said drum'part due to the momentum of the drum, a device mounting the latch means and actuated by said member upon movement thereof in a direction to displace the released latch means from latching location with respect to the member and retarding means connected to said device for retarding momentum of the drum and restoring the device and member to initial position and thereby restoring the drum to selected position and also relocating the latch means in latching location for automatically relatching said member in the initial position.

18. A machine to sort records, comprising a carrier movable to different selected sorting positions, a slide having a normal position and carrying means to interlock with a part of the carrier during movement of the carrier past the selected position due to momentum and thereby to communicate movement to the slide, a pair of levers connected to each other for opposite rocking movement and actuated in said opposite direction by the slide upon movement thereof, and retarding `means connected to the levers for stopping the rocking movement -of the levers and thereby the movement of the slide and restoring the latter to normal position and thereby returning'the carrier to selected position.

19. The machine as dened in claim 18, said carrier being movable in either of opposite directions to a selected sorting position, said slide thereby being actuated in either of opposite directions', said slide upon actuation by the carrier in one direction acting on one lever to rock the levers in certain directions, and said slide upon actuation in the opposite direction by the carrier acting on the other lever to rock the levers in the same certain directions.

20. A machine to sort records, comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism to actuate the carrier in either of opposite directions to a selected sorting position, and arresting means for the carrier including a device engaged by the carrier to be moved thereby along with the carrier during overtravel of the carrier in either direction with respect to the selected sorting position, a dampening means, and mechanical connections between said device and dampening means for moving the latter means in one and the same direction upon overtravel of the carrier in either direction so as to dampen the overtravel in either direction.

21. A machine to sort records comprising a movably mounted carrier to receive records while in different sorting positions, mechanism to actuate the carrier in either of opposite directions to a selected sorting position, a reciprocable fluid check, means operated by engagement with the carrier in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the carrier upon overtravel of the carrier in either of opposite directions with respect to the selected sorting position, and connections between the said means and uid check for eiecting one and the same directional stroke of reciprocation of the fluid check upon overtravel of the carrier in either direction so as to dampen the overtravel in either direction.

FREDERICK L. FULLER. 

